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Nómada

This is a restaurant that opens almost all day. They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch and diner. This is one of the few places in Casco that offers vegetarian options and a vegan one as well. This follows the fast food type of food but also has tea, coffee, and a executive menu which changes every day. Also they have a draft beer happy hour. They have indoor and outdoor tables, and their atmosphere is really wide.

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Casco Mar

This is a tapas restaurant, their main focus is Spanish food. They offer paella, what is on their menu and sometimes they offer an off menu dish. The price range is about 34$ per person depending on what you order. They also have a wine menu and 60% of their wines are from Spain.

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Super Gourmet

This is a cafe, and is the most formal cafe in the area. Many workers, tourist, locals, come have their breakfast here. Something that characterizes this place is that costumers can see the kitchen and how they cook the food. They are also known for their pies, they have different types, passion fruit, pecan, lemon… the price range varies on what you buy, but is very accesible. This place is also pet friendly so you can bring your four legged friend along.

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Ricuras del Canajagua

Located in front of the new Selina headquarters. It opens at 4:00am, they serve breakfasts as well as lunch, and their prices are very accessible. They mainly serve traditional Panamanian food.

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Coca-Cola Cafe

This place is one of the oldest cafes in Panama. They first opened in 1875, no one knows why it’s called like this but people assumed is because this was one of the first places to serve the drink outside the U.S.

They have been operating for over a hundred years. They open all week from 8:00am to 11:00pm. The price range varies from 5$ per person to 8$ max.

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Tropical Chocolate Cafe

This is a cafe where which its name says, sells mostly chocolate. The thing that makes it different from store bought chocolates is that all the chocolates they offer are handmade, also they follow the principle of “from tree to table” They have a variety of chocolates, you can find, champagne chocolates, strawberry, passion fruit, red wine… they also offer their own jam, and honey. You can buy the chocolates individually or for gifts (they come on a gift box)

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Nueve

Note: it can be also known as Ocho y Medio, since this was its name before they changed the chef.

This is a small restaurant with a very specific menu in which they mean to capture the Panamanian flavors. Given their space is not that big its capacity goes from 40 to 50 people.

Something that makes this place literally pop out and brings a lot of attention is they indoor terrace. This is an open space with fresh air that gives the costumer the option of eating in or out in the terrace. This makes the restaurant different than the other.

Something we really liked was the fact that they are not only trying to capture Panamas essence on the flavor, they also shop form the local market, and they try to get all their products from here, nothing imported.

They also count with a lot of sculptures and paintings, which make the surroundings of the place feel like you´re getting a full on art experience.

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About Casco

The history of Casco Antiguo begins in 1673; two years after the pirate Henry Morgan robbed Panama la Vieja.

Even though it begins that year, its architecture goes way back. When the governor at the time Antonio Fernandez de Córdoba suggest that the habitants settle near Cerro Ancon.

View of Casco Antigo from Cerro Ancon, 1875.

With this movement they began building churches, plazas, government buildings, and the famous vaults; which in that time were their defense wall. All of this were made of wood therefore nothing could be saved from the original infrastructure, but they have kept the original spaces, alleys, and the area tracing.

Map of Casco en 1688.

Casco Antiguo was declared a World Heritage in 1997. Since then it has become a very touristic place for locals and tourists.